Belle baffled by country’s newest political party

The list of possible candidates associated with the newest political party here has left political scientist Dr George Belle baffled.

The newly-formed Barbados Integrity Movement (BIM) has not been officially launched, but already it is causing some consternation because many of those linked with the party have been members of the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) with an association with former Prime Minister Owen Arthur.

The candidates identified include former Member of Parliament for St Michael South Central David Gill, former senator and Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Lynette Eastmond, unsuccessful candidate for St John Hutson Griffith, former Arthur personal assistant Sylvan Greenidge and former Member of Parliament for Christ Church East Wendell Callender. The party is being led by the little-known insurance executive Neil Holder.

While not stating it was a conspiracy to take down BLP leader Mia Mottley, the relationship between Mottley nemesis Arthur and the listed BIM operatives did not escape Belle.

“It is noticeable that Eastmond, Gill and recently appointed talk show moderator Glyne Murray, all support Arthur. They all try to make life uncomfortable for Opposition Leader Mia Mottley. I do not understand why they would continue with this sort of behaviour,” Belle told Barbados TODAY.

Gill had given a strong hint of his intention after he was stung by 37-year-old economist Marsha Caddle in last October’s poll for a nominee to represent the BLP in St Michael South Central in the next election.

After his defeat Gill had charged that the nomination had been rigged in Caddle’s favour and he would neither support her in the election campaign, nor would he have anything to do with Mottley.

Up until last week, the 61-year-old Gill, who won the seat in 1999 but lost every election since, insisted he was still a Bee.

“You may recall that I have not resigned from the Barbados Labour Party, so my voice will be heard in the elections. I will be issuing comments from time to time during the elections,” he told Barbados TODAY at the time when asked about reports that he would be part of a new political movement.

However, today the former legislator openly identified with BIM, although he sought to downplay its potential impact.

“At this time it is merely a meeting of minds, there is nothing to speak about yet. It would be counter-productive with comments being run in the press,” he said.

While Eastmond could not be reached for a comment, Greenidge, who had unsuccessfully sought the nomination to represent the BLP in St Philip South, suggested he had not confirmed his BIM candidacy.

However, he left no doubt as to how he felt about Mottley and the current state of politics.

“I have heard about the new political parties. I have been told that a few of them have been trying to reach me, but so far they have been unsuccessful,” Greenidge told Barbados TODAY.

“I am not really interested in the politics as it stands. I am very disappointed with the BLP and therefore I have pretty much given up. Politics has become a blood sport. I do not think there is any difference between the BLP and the DLP [Democratic Labour Party]. As it stands now I have more confidence in Stuart than I do in Mottley.”

Callender, on the other hand, was adamant he had no interest in BIM and that no one had spoken to him about joining the organization. He said he was directing his energy towards the publication of books.

BIM is the second political party to announce an intention to challenge the two established parties here.

Solutions Barbados, comprised of well-established businessmen under the leadership of Grenville Phillips II, was officially launched last April. It announced earlier this month it had already confirmed 14 candidates, and planned to have a full slate in time for the general election due next year.

However, Belle cautioned that in a situation where there were presently two dominant mass democratic parties that have been around since the 1950s and were now deeply entrenched in Barbadian society, it would be not easy to achieve the desired political breakthrough.

He suggested that the only way this could be done would be to have a leader who is strong enough to pull away the mass base from either the DLP or the BLP.

And in examining the alternatives presently on the table, he said neither possessed the necessary political prestige nor national knowledge.

He therefore doubted that they could better the attempt of the now deceased Dr Richie Haynes, who had formed the National Democratic Party out of a DLP splinter group back in 1989.

“If people don’t know them at the constituency level, how will they know them at the national level? And other than the ones who are not known, the others are failed politicians. If they couldn’t command themselves at the constituency level, how are they going to be the national leaders of a new organization?

“So it is extremely difficult for you to pull away without you having national prestige politically or being able to pull the mass base of one of the established mass parties and that is why a third or fourth party is very difficult,” he said.

In any case, Belle said, it was too late now for any established politician to be looking to jump ship and branch out on their own with elections around the corner.

Nonetheless, given the results of the recent United States presidential elections and the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom, Belle left the door open for a political surprise, saying, “In these times unexpected political outcomes seem to be on the cards”.

Source: (NC/KJ)

14 Responses to Belle baffled by country’s newest political party

Hal Austin January 19, 2017 at 3:59 am

We need a new vision, dynamism, not more of the same inflated egos and people who think they have a right of entitlement.
Barbados is drifting towards a precipice of social breakdown. Keep an eye on the activities of the RSS and its US and Canadian sponsors and see that they are becoming more involved in civic activities, such as internal crime and financial matters. The RSS has got a plan for failing Caribbean states, such as Barbados..

It is amazing that former stalwarts of any Political party would be involved in any new Political entity. But jumping ship is not new. Rember the “1,000 pounds of Blubber” man? But the possibility of any Party being established 15 months before Elections are constitutionally due and not revealing names of the candidates because the persons involved are currently working on Government contracts is very puzzling. And why does a MP who has been fired from a Political party still have the Party’s logo on her Constituency poster?

I was mentioning this RSS relationship with the US, Canada and the countries in this region. You’re perfectly right brother Hal. Dr. Bell as usual is blowing his BLP trumpet, the reality is the Electoral landscape will see dramatic changes in historical paternal.

The Reality is the leaders of both established parties are weak, they don’t command popularity among their team or the public and with other parties involved, the usual national swing by which elections are won is no longer safe. They’re MP’s in both parties positioning themselves for leadership as there’s no confidence in the current leaders. So maybe they’ll be a swing away from the norm and we will see a mixed selection of MP’s in parliament for the first time. As I will continue to say here, “let the lawyers work for us in the confines of the courts”. We need better results there, they have failed the country politically so maybe they can serve us better with just one hat.

Sorry Mr. Neil Holder but I think you are not a smart politician in the making. You are more than likely being used by these washed up driftwood failed BLP has-beens. No one wants used and recycled persons claiming to be politicians. Barbados is in one big mess. Both parties has major in-house fighting. I am still not discounting Owen’s re- re- re-entry. Dale being secretly and strategically positioned by George, his mentor and advisor. Agard is very much in it too. Then there is the pack of wolves in the DLP who knows that Frenduel done, and Sinckler gon mek the devaluation announcement and resign, Donville want it bad, bad, bad, Richard is the chosen one, and Pilgrim won’t talk about that. Solutions Barbados not announcing their candidates for fear of victimization clearly speaks to the fact that he too is harbouring driftwood. Talk all he want but still ain’t coming forward with any solutions. Governor General, sir, I implore you to get traffic lights installed in parliment because the floor gine be real busy with crossings and people will get knock down. even end up in horspital again. Boy it seems as though Mia is the only true hope.
Neil, honestly, you like Trump. You ain’t got one idea about political protocol nor management. except for money, Trump got nuff o’ dat. You is a beggar jus lime me.

Its time for real change. No more of the same old. It gets tiring. Do you listen to yourselves. People’s lives hang in the balance. People need an executive to run Barbados. Kick those washed up politicians to the curb.

We need a positive management committee to have up front the financial and management strength to give barbados its first powerful political (ESTABLISHMENT)..

Why would bajans want to vote for people who has gone past they sell by date..
We dont need a scratching fowl cock party, with silly names lets see the colour of your money, what financial strength you all bringing to Barbados, Barbados is broke , ask the present government ..

@Peter: be advised thou art conspicuously sipping from by bowl of mixed-metaphor soup. However, I gorgive you as you have stirred the pot with a straight, firm, truthful and trusty ladle, and the brew is excellent, and also made my day! Wuhloss!

@jrsmith, the MOF is saying that you will he surprise to know how well the country is doing. Do the people in barbados think that only the Democratic and the Republicans were in the presidental race in the US? No, they were more but in the end it is either Dems/Reps so all these new faces and old discards can keep on doing what they`re were doing. Trump was always in the limlight and he ran as a republican, he did not came out from nowhere.

Hal, we all have egos that say what “i am” ,,,but you seem to think that no one can have a bigger ego than you !!!
You nor no one else can destroy or eliminate what is known as the “ego”.
So come on and stop your childish behaviour about egos.
There are here to stay, but your problem is who has a more inflated ego than Hal. The answer is many, because there will always be greater and lesser persons than me, you or a dog name Boo. Have a wonderful day.

Come Grenville, we know how this normally turns out. You as you did on Brasstacks, came and talk a roll about all these things your party will do, where really all you go do is cut votes. Your party, just like the others will form alliances with the white community and pass legislation that will put a strangle hold on the Black community. Created contracts for you all businesses and avenues where you all can make more money even if it means passing the necessary legislation. You shouldn’t put a fox to guard a henhouse.

Courage is the ability to effect positive change without being afraid as being regarded as ‘ militant’ or for failure!

MOST candidates cling to the former parties because they are afraid of losing that support. That life line.

Taking a look at this country’s economic system the words ‘IN SHAMBLES’ come to mind.

It need rebuilding from the floor up!

This can only be achieved by electing competent persons. Gone are the days when politics are a mere popularity contest. We need an alternative of candidates that can get the job done and that are not seeking personal gain.

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